Michael R. Pearce

• Lam, S. Y.; Vandenbosch, M. B.; Hulland, J. S.; Pearce, M. R., 2001, "Evaluating Promotions in Shopping Environments: Decomposing Sales Response into Attraction, Conversion, and Spending Effects", Marketing Science, January 20(2): 194 - 215.
  Abstract: Retailers' marketing objectives can be classified into three broad categories: attraction effects that focus on consumers' store-entry decisions, conversion effects that relate to consumers' decisions about whether or not to make a purchase at a store they are visiting and spending effects that represent both dollar vale and composition of their transactions. This paper proposes a framework that incorporates all three of these effect categories and examines their influence on store performance. Specifically, store sales are broken down into four components: front traffic, store-entry ratio, closing ratio, and average spending....Finally, managerial and academic implications of this work are described and potential extensions of the joint model are suggested.
• Lam, S. Y.; Vandenbosch, M. B.; Pearce, M. R., 1998, "Retail Sales Force Scheduling Based on Store Traffic Forecasting", Journal of Retailing, January 74(1): 61 - 88.
  Abstract: Although retailers acknowledge the impact of sales force scheduling decisions on store profits and customer service, current scheduling methods may fail to capture the sales potential of customers who enter their premises. These methods do not recognize the effect that the sales staff availability has upon the customer purchasing, thus leaving significant opportunity for additional sales volume unrealized. To resolve this problem, we propose a model which sets store sales potential as a function of store traffic volume, customer type, and customer response to sale force availability. We test our model for a profit maximizing sales force schedule with data providing hourly data of store sales, store traffic and staff head count. The solution for this optimal schedule indicates that the store may be seriously understaffed and that expanding the number of salespersons would both generate higher profits and provide customers with better service. Our scheduling method also provides a tool for identifying the time periods when service is most heavily demanded by customers.
• Pearce, M. R.; Parent, M.; Brohman, K., 1998, "Fifteen Research Questions in Data Warehousing", Journal of Data Warehousing, January 3(4): 52 - 57.
  Abstract: The purpose of this article is to identify opportunities for data warehouse research. Data warehousing is a popular concept in practice, however, academics have been slower to adopt data warehousing as a research interest. This article identifies the importance of data warehouse research, and provides 15 questions designed to encourage the information systems (IS) community to research issues in data warehousing.
• Pearce, M. R., 1983, "The Marketing Practitioner as Political Actor", Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, December 2: 82 - 99.
  Abstract: The controversy surrounding Nestle's marketing of infant formula in developing countries is used to illustrate an approach to coping with marketing problems in the public-policy arena. Basic problem-solving steps to marketing problems involve: 1. diagnosis, 2. analysis of alternatives, and 3. action. A good diagnosis requires identification, observation, and explanation. The behavior of various stakeholders should be observed to determine who has not exercised influence on the problem. In conflict situations, reactive strategies include: 1. capitulation, 2. inaction, 3. delay, 4. confrontationcoercion, 5. arbitration, 6. tacitconjectural negotiation, 7. explicit negotiation, and 8. mediation. Proactive strategies to avoid or minimize conflict situations involve: 1. environmental scanning, 2. redefinition of public arena, 3. decentralization of decision making, and 4. representationconsultation. In responding to such conflicts, a marketer must appreciate overall trends in the environment, including new legal developments, such as increased regulation of products and services and class action suits. Because penalties have been stiffened, marketing decision making is much riskier than in the past.

For more publications please see our Research Database